Steroids including a spiro ring in position 17, the process for their preparation and their use

A compound selected from the group consisting of a compound of the formula ##STR93## wherein R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of carbocyclic aryl, heterocyclic aryl and aralkyl, all unsubstituted or substituted except alkynylphenyl with at least one member selected from the group consisting of alkyl and alkoxy of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, alkenyloxy of 2 to 8 carbon atoms, alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl of up to 8 carbon atoms substituted with at least one member of the group consisting of halogen, --OH, --CF.sub.3, acyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, carboxy, esterified carboxy, alkylthio and oxidized alkylthio of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, --NH.sub.2, mono and dialkylamino, the alkyls having 1 to 8 carbon atoms and oxidized amino, mono and dialkylamino, substituted mono or dialkylamino and a unsubstituted or substituted nitrogen heterocycle which may contain --O-- or --N-- or --S-- in the ring, R.sub.2 is either .alpha.' or .beta. hydrocarbon of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, the wavy line of the spiro ether indicates the oxygen may be a .alpha.- or .beta.-, the dotted line in the 3',4'-position indicates the absence or presence of a double bond, the A and B rings are selected from the group consisting of ##STR94## wherein R' and R" are individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, Re is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms and acyl or the A,B and C rings may be ##STR95## and their non-toxic, pharmaceutically acceptable salts.